t ac r t Con Tour rocks the Capitol - SEIU Local 1000
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MAR 6 2013 Contract Tour rocks the Capitol Nearly 350 members commit to fighting for a new contract The first meeting of the 2013 Contract Tour in Sacra- mento showed the depth, diversity and commitment of our membership and highlighted our priorities in upcoming contract negotiations. Nearly 350 state workers from more than 30 separate departments attended the event. People shared a wide range of priorities, some general and many very specific. The vast majority of workers expressed cautious optimism about the current climate for bar- gaining. Many cited furloughs, but they also talked about how political victories in 2010 and 2012 have helped us develop an army of activists across the state—and in the Capitol—so that our presence is felt by the elected officials who must ultimately approve the contract we negotiate this spring. “After five years of struggles, we can see light at the end of the tunnel—an end to furloughs and a 3 percent pay raise—that’s almost 8 percent,” said Jim Holverstott, a CHP employee who has worked 40 years for the state. “We’ve been through tough times before, and when we are unified behind our bargaining team, we’ve always had a better outcome. This is our contract—we all have to step up and do something to be successful.” Some state employees, like Melissa Burgess and David Meneley, were hired in recent years so that furloughs and PLPs are practically the norm. “For me, the end of PLP 2012 is a 5 percent raise, and I realize that we really need to fight for the best Sacramento area members line up to speak at the largest town hall meeting so far on the Local 1000 2013 Contract Tour. David Meneley (left) and Melissa Burgess became active in Local 1000 after they were both hired at DMV last year. Bargaining Unit 3 Chair John Kern writes down member ideas for our bargaining team. Dozens of members spoke during an open microphone period at the town hall meeting. deal in future years,” said Burgess, a DMV employee hired in 2012 who is in the process of becoming a steward. “I’m excited to have a job with good benefits, decent pay and strong retirement security. My last job had none of those things. I became active in the union because I will never take what we have for granted, and I know that any improvement is something we have to work for. Nothing will be given to us—we have to push.”
Transcript of t ac r t Con Tour rocks the Capitol - SEIU Local 1000
MAR 6
2013
Contract Tour rocks the Capitol Nearly 350 members commit to fighting for a new contract The first meeting of the 2013 Contract Tour in Sacra-mento showed the depth, diversity and commitment of our membership and highlighted our priorities in upcoming contract negotiations.
Nearly 350 state workers from more than 30 separate departments attended the event. People shared a wide range of priorities, some general and many very specific. The vast majority of workers expressed cautious optimism about the current climate for bar-gaining. Many cited furloughs, but they also talked about how political victories in 2010 and 2012 have helped us develop an army of activists across the state—and in the Capitol—so that our presence is felt by the elected officials who must ultimately approve the contract we negotiate this spring.
“After five years of struggles, we can see light at the end of the tunnel—an end to furloughs and a 3 percent pay raise—that’s almost 8 percent,” said Jim Holverstott, a CHP employee who has worked 40 years for the state. “We’ve been through tough times before, and when we are unified behind our bargaining team, we’ve always had a better outcome. This is our contract—we all have to step up and do something to be successful.”
Some state employees, like Melissa Burgess and David Meneley, were hired in recent years so that furloughs and PLPs are practically the norm.
“For me, the end of PLP 2012 is a 5 percent raise, and I realize that we really need to fight for the best
Sacramento area members line up to speak at the largest town hall meeting so far on the Local 1000 2013 Contract Tour.
David Meneley (left) and Melissa Burgess became active in Local 1000 after they were both hired at DMV last year.
Bargaining Unit 3 Chair John Kern writes down member ideas for our bargaining team.
Dozens of members spoke during an open microphone period at the town hall meeting.
deal in future years,” said Burgess, a DMV employee hired in 2012 who is in the process of becoming a steward.
“I’m excited to have a job with good benefits, decent pay and strong retirement security. My last job had none of those things. I became active in the union because I will never take what we have for granted, and I know that any improvement is something we have to work for. Nothing will be given to us—we have to push.”
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Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
Representation pays offLocal 1000 helps former members win appealsLocal 1000 has gone to bat and obtained unemploy-ment insurance benefits for about 200 former state employees who left state service last year as part of wider cutbacks at their agency.
Because of the combined efforts of Local 1000’s Legal Department and Union Resource Center, nearly 200 workers who were initially denied unemployment benefits are now entitled to receive them.
“We helped out these former members because it was the right thing to do,” said Tamekia N. Robinson, vice president for organizing/representation.
“Our action is also consistent with our purpose state-ment ‘… to have the power necessary to give our members—and all California—the opportunity to have a good life …’,” Robinson said.
Fighting for members doesn’t stopAlthough Local 1000 had previously represented a handful of our former members before the Unemploy-ment Insurance Appeals Board, we had never handled so many cases until last year when more than 200 workers accepted transition packages to leave the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF).
Under the terms of the transition package, SCIF did not oppose our members filing for unemployment after leaving state service. However, the Employment
Development Department (EDD) denied claims for more than 200 former SCIF employees.
“After learning that EDD was denying unemployment insurance benefits to members who took the tran-sition package, we requested that the appeals be consolidated so we could represent members more effectively,” said Theresa Witherspoon, the Local 1000 attorney who handled the case with the help of union representatives. “We were able to make a strong case that these workers were unfairly denied benefits.”
Several former members said they appreciated that Local 1000 continued to represent them.
“We helped out these former members because it was the right thing to do.”
—Tamekia N. Robinson Vice President for Organizing/Representation.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS YOUR UNION CONTRACT PROTECTIONS
You have the right to participate in union meetingsStarting this month, Local 1000 will begin a se-ries of town hall meetings to listen to members bargaining priorities and discuss the upcoming bargaining process. Your right to attend union meetings on non-work time is protected by our union contract (Article 2.5) and the Dills Act.
If you wish to support your elected bargaining team by wearing union colors, displaying or
distributing union materials or participating in a demonstration, your rights are protected by state law and our contract.
If you have questions about your rights or you are ever prevented from exercising your right to participate in any way, contact your Local 1000 job steward or call the Member Resource Center at 866.471.SEIU (7348).
